Chapter 20: The Rise of the Xia Kingdom and Rapid Development

Under the overwhelming pressure of the Great Emperor, the Jiang family swiftly gained the upper hand by leveraging the "Lingxiao Treaty." Among the Eight Great Sanctuaries, only Elder Bian of the Biluò Sanctuary was released and sent back.

This was primarily because once Elder Bian restored his cultivation, unless he was suppressed beneath the Imperial Supreme Hall, Jiang Cheng had no way to challenge him. Given such risks, it was better to let him go and use the opportunity to publicize the Jiang family and the Xia Kingdom.

The other sanctuary members "voluntarily" remained in the Xia Kingdom to assist in rebuilding Lingxiao City. Only upon its completion would they be allowed to return to their sanctuaries. This aligned with Jiang Cheng’s philosophy of not wasting resources—those who had committed war crimes should atone through labor.

They were spared execution for this reason: living cultivators were far more useful than dead ones. The construction of the new city required a massive workforce. Moreover, their presence would serve as an example to mortals—that in Lingxiao City and the Xia Kingdom, cultivators and mortals were truly equal.

It should be noted that these convicted cultivators were now branded as outcasts, while other cultivators and mortals of the Xia Kingdom were regarded as citizens.

At dawn in Lingxiao City, the clear chime of bells echoed against the newly built city walls. The sun had yet to rise, but the streets were already bustling with activity. Once mighty sanctuary cultivators now bowed their heads like slaves, sweating profusely as they labored.

“The foundation height here is off; redo it,” a Xia Kingdom Ministry of Works cultivator commanded coldly, brandishing a supervisory spiritual token. His tone was utterly devoid of emotion, treating these former sanctuary elites as nothing more than cheap labor.

Su Ningshuang gritted her teeth, her body trembling slightly from the intense labor. She and her family from the Su clan had been demoted to the Xia Kingdom’s outcasts, forced daily to exert excessive spiritual energy and magic for arduous tasks.

“This is torture,” she whispered, spiritual energy surging from her hands as she sliced a massive rock into a precise rectangular block. Yet the continuous drain left her pale and barely able to stand.

Worse was the constant surveillance by overseers, as if any lapse would result in penalty points deducted.

Should their points be fully deducted, their rest time would be curtailed, daily food rations reduced, and even the meager benefits slashed. Severe neglect, such as shirking or escaping work, would be met with punitive spiritual marks.

“Su and Cheng families deserve what they get; what’s the big deal about cultivators?” A nearby mortal sneered, moving ordinary stones with several companions. They openly mocked the exiled cultivators branded as outcasts by the Xia Kingdom. “We get paid for our work, rest two days a week, eat meat every meal, and the government even arranges free education at night.”

“Don’t say too much, Niu Er. They’re cultivators after all. Let’s just work hard, earn more, accumulate points. When this new district is done, we’ll buy homes here.”

“Right, let’s push forward. This is where we’ll live.”

“That one cutting stones over there is heartless Su Ningshuang—the very one who abandoned our Xia Kingdom’s Emperor Jiang!”

“Bah! Scoundrel, blind as a dog!”

Though Su Ningshuang was a cultivator, she could not block out such insults. Hearing a mere mortal dare to curse her, her body stiffened, spiritual energy nearly spiraling out of control.

She glared fiercely, but the mortal was unfazed, evidently accustomed to such scenes, showing no fear.

Her fury nearly extinguished her reason. Once, a single word from her had decided these mortals’ fates; now she must endure humiliation and mockery.

“Endure… just survive a little longer. One day, I Su Ningshuang will find a chance,” she forced herself calm, clenching her fists.

Meanwhile, Cheng Zilong, head of the Cheng family, gritted his teeth as he hauled massive stones. A Celestial Realm cultivator, he had never stooped to manual labor before but now had to expend all his spiritual power just to meet daily quotas.

“Jiang Cheng! I won’t forget this!” he roared inwardly, eyes filled with venom.

Suddenly, an icy spiritual pressure descended, halting his movements. He looked up to see a Protector standing on a high platform, gazing down with cold contempt.

“What’s the point of grinding your teeth? Finish this task quickly and then dig the irrigation channels,” the Ministry of Works overseer instructed, showing special attention to these particularly notorious war-criminal outcasts.

Cheng Zilong wanted to resist but knew he had no chance. While he could easily crush the overseer, he could not evade the Protectors loyal to Jiang Cheng, all watching closely alongside members of the Eight Great Sanctuaries.

These captives were kept behind for specialized technical work, using their respective magical skills to aid the city’s construction.

Any time a fugitive war-criminal outcast was captured, a reward was granted, their work ended, and they could leave Lingxiao City to return to their sanctuary.

Thanks to the combined efforts of these criminals and the Protectors, construction of the new Lingxiao City progressed rapidly. Wide streets were paved, towering buildings rose from the ground.

At the foot of the Imperial Supreme City, a grand Imperial Academy had already been established. It comprised thirty-six buildings, with the Early Education and Adult Education Institutes, alongside the Civil Affairs Institute, hosting the most students.

The Early Education Institute catered to children under seven, introducing them to foundational knowledge and the concept of the state.

Jiang Cheng valued the Early Education Institute most, often attending classes with Su Ruoxi.

At this moment, Su Ruoxi was teaching. Dozens of assistants were scattered throughout the large classroom, while thousands of small children sat on tiny chairs, hands neatly folded on their desks.

Sunlight streamed through the windows, golden patches dancing among desks and chairs, bringing life to the scholarly atmosphere.

Su Ruoxi, dressed in a simple yet elegant dress, stood at the podium, her voice gentle but clear, imbued with a comforting strength: “...The path of cultivation is not for everyone, but talent is not everything. In the Xia Kingdom, effort and perseverance are key. Any one of you, if you work hard enough, can change your destiny.”

Below the podium, dozens of children sat quietly, the oldest no more than seven, the youngest barely five. Their eyes widened in intense focus, as if afraid to miss a single word.

In the front row facing the podium sat Little Ya, her round face carrying a mix of stubbornness and innocence. Her eyes sparkled with the unique curiosity and longing of childhood.

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Supreme Hall, Jiang Cheng was reviewing a transmission. The only sanctuary member released—Elder Bian of the Biluò Sanctuary—had sent word.

The gist was threefold: the highest echelons of each sanctuary believed Jiang Cheng might possess the inheritance to break through to the Supreme Realm of this world, likely attracting the attention of the top cultivators across Eastern Continent.

Secondly, the Danxia Sanctuary, the only one not involved in the recent siege, had decided to dispatch its legitimate hereditary Holy Maiden—future leader of Danxia Sanctuary—to Lingxiao City, though the details were unclear.

Finally, the sanctuaries had detected a recent influx of numerous forces into Eastern Continent, not only humans but rarely seen spirits and even factions from the Central Continent exchanging messages rapidly via jade slips.